The Niagara River sends 6 million cubic feet (169,901 cubic m) of water over Niagara Falls every minute. However, in 1969, the torrent of the American Falls was reduced to a mere trickle. For five months, engineers diverted the water to Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side while they removed loose rock at the base and shored up other areas, in an attempt to delay the onset of erosion. At the end of the project, the engineers blew up their temporary 600-foot-tall (183 m) dam and the thunderous wall of water resumed its rush over the falls.
A natural wonder created by glacial retreat:
- Niagara Falls is the collective name for three waterfalls that straddle the US-Canada border. They form the southern end of the Niagara Gorge.
- The combined falls deliver the world’s highest flow rate of any waterfall, with a vertical drop of more than 165 feet (50 m). Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America.
- Niagara Falls was formed when the glaciers retreated at the end of the last Ice Age. Niagara Falls provides a valuable source of hydroelectric power.